(OOC: The scroll in your hands is a simple, robust affair - two long, thin sticks of darkwood nailed to a large strip of buff parchment rolled about both for easy reading. To protect it when not in use, there is a simple tube of leather with a cap tied at one end with a leather thong.)ILLUMINATE - ENDURE - OVERCOME - RISE
First Edition______________________________________________________“You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.
Only in the awareness of the present,
can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup.
Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness,
appreciate the delicacy.
If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the future,
you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of tea.
You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone.
Life is like that.
If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone.
You will have missed the feel, the aroma,
the delicacy and beauty of life.
It will seem to be speeding past you. The past is finished.
Learn from it and let it go.
The future is not even here yet.
Plan for it, but do not waste your time worrying about it.
Worrying is worthless.
When you stop ruminating about what has already happened,
when you stop worrying about what might never happen,
then you will be in the present moment.
Then you will begin to experience joy in life.”
-Author Unknown______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
Foreword:
A brief introduction
At heart, all monastic teaching is born of necessity. Those with little to eat learned how to sustain themselves by eating little. Those tilling the fields took their farming implements in hand to defend themselves and secure their liberty. The New Moon is no different in this regard.
Much of what is taught to a Void Disciple is commonplace among other Orders - alacrity, dexterity, strength, mental fortitude, balance, energy, and stamina - but as with all things in life, the perspective is changed. The world is choked with power, stifling truth and simplicity. The value of a lifetime is rarely appreciated. More often than not, those without the power to choose their own destiny are transmuted into the tapestries woven by others. Coerced. Forced. Subjugated.
The text and artwork within this scroll illustrates a philosophy that is rooted heavily in darker emotions. But that darkness is not our destination; it is the beginning. Herein you will find the means by which to end life, but I implore you to use it only in defense of your own.
This text was born out of necessity for an inexorable, unstoppable rise above those base virtues without failing to witness their motivational power to catalyze that rebirth. It is meant as a testament to a path where hatred, bitterness, and fear are absorbed and not reflected, negated and not entirely destroyed.
For instance: it is said that 'to be fearless, one must know fear.' If you are reading this text, you may likely already have that instinct in volume. Let it be the weight that you shed, but do not fail to recognize its voice. Crass emotions are a fact of life. It would be folly to wage war upon them as if they were a man. But they do not need to control you.
The goal is not to master others. The goal is to master yourself. Be proud of your accomplishments, and live as long and healthy a life as you can.
~Master Mathus Emmerech of the New Moon
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Section 1
Asceticism
The word "ascetic" comes from the Chessentan word "ἄσκησις" (pron. áskēsis), "exercise" or "training." It is ascribed most commonly to a departure from worldly pleasures in pursuit of a spiritual or religious goal. Generally, ascetics believe that you have to step away from the superfluous, and most orders spend a great deal of time defining exactly what and how much they can live without. The world - defined as the populace for all intents and purposes - is one of the major caveats that separates many of these Orders.
"Inner" and "outer" asceticism are the definitions laid upon those who have chosen to depart from the world and live on their own, or live amongst others and still participate in their philosophy, respectively. Often it is the will of those who practice inner asceticism to live alone or among those of like mind, refusing the presence of that which is 'distracting' to their pursuits of balance, freedom, and enlightenment. Outer ascetics, also known as "worldly" ascetics, choose to co-habitate and interact with that which is distracting or unwanted, but only to a point. There is no better or worse method, but these methods allow the ascetic to tailor their lifestyle to the level of removal from the world that they need to find peace.
Often, ascetics will take vows to more clearly define their expectations upon themselves. These austerities include but are not limited to vegetarianism (the refusal to eat meat), non-violence (the refusal to bring harm to any other being), and celibacy (the refusal to conjugate with any other being). They will also endure self-prescribed hardship, such as meditating in an uncomfortable location (such as atop a hard rock, under a blazing sun, or beneath a roaring waterfall), crossing great distances - such as across deserts - barefoot, or fasting for a week or more.
The goal of asceticism is not the punishment of self-denial - instead, self-denial is seen as the method by which spiritual and religious goals are attained. Much in the same way that the body can be trained to find pleasure in exertion. Like elation found when you exercise regularly, asceticism can provoke the same level of responses. Not all monastic orders agree on what level of asceticism is practical or even warranted. Some, like this one, believe that it is up to the individual.
The Way of the Void Disciple does not involve mandatory abstinence, by the definitions provided. What is required is a different kind of asceticism altogether - one that transcends the inner and outer, the hermit and the worldly. The New Moon Philosophy.
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Section 2
Philosophy
Thirty spokes converge upon a single hub;
It is on the hole in the center that
The use of the cart hinges.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Carve fine doors and windows,
But the room is useful in its emptiness.
The usefulness of what is
depends on what is not.
What if there was nothing after this? Would it change what you do? Would it change who you are? Could you enjoy life as much, appreciate the scent of a flower or the satisfaction of a job well-done, knowing that in the end, you will only be what you left behind? Would you still seek to teach? Would you still create? Would you still love?
The World that Was
The Void Disciple often begins as an individual who has come to the understanding that their own life is somehow lessened, whether by their own actions or by the actions of others. Pain and suffering accompany them in copious amounts, but still they carry on, whether they are aware of why or not. Often, their suffering has come at the hands of those who manipulate the Weave, but not always.
There is a great deal of unrest, sickness of heart and mind, on the islands. Some speed along toward a death that comes much sooner than is necessary. Many others stand in the path of an early fate without knowing it, merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Against a sparse few of these there is no defense. But to an ascetic of the New Moon, even the strongest magic and the sharpest blade can be deflected by imperious will.
The Choice
What can be offered is not a simple price to pay for freedom. It is a change that produces the right to choose. No longer are you subject to the whim of others. It is by your will alone that you are saved, and it is only by your will that it is done. No one can do this for you. You have to save yourself.
The Reflection of the Weave
At many points in this text I refer to something called the "Reflection" in the Weave. My terminology is consistent - if not entirely accurate - with current magical jargon. The Void Disciple's principles revolve around meditation upon what they see of themselves. Many of the forms and powers unlocked by this principle provide a centering that restores that Self from whatever harm it has endured. The will of the practitioner is paramount to seeing this reformation and solidification become a reality. Don't take this to be a promise of hardship - I would rather you see it as a promise of your potential.
The Void
The great question at the heart of the New Moon philosophy is 'What is the Void'?
To put it simply, it
is all that
is not. It is what is forgotten, who is left behind, where is never gone, when is never been, why is never known. It is where we came from before the world knew what we were, and it is where we'll go when no one remembers us. It is everything that is set down and not picked up again, every act of entropy that cools a forge or a plate of food, every abandoned tower that fades into disrepair. The concept, while chilling, is not a malignant or benign presence - it is simply the Truth.
It is our limited time here, now, that gives value to what we do. If we could do everything, see everything, be everywhere at one time or another in an infinite lifespan, what would be the relative value of any one thing? What is the point of goal-less effort? In order for a moment to have meaning, it has to end. Such it is with life.
The Void Disciple faces this prospect unflinchingly, unfailingly adhering to the idea that they will abandon the empty promise of eternity in exchange for a focus on the life and opportunity already in their grasp. Too much has already slipped through your grasp as you clung to the past. Do everything you can when you wake in the morning until sleep claims you at night - everything from dawn to dusk cost you a day of your life to achieve. Make it worthwhile.
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Section 3
Forms
The Open HandImproved Unarmed StrikeAll practitioners of the New Moon are well versed in hand to hand combat. They are taught very early on how to properly wrap the striking surfaces of their forearms and knuckles, but that makes little difference when they are instructed to find hardy substances - trees, for instance - and strike them until their fists have formed the proper shape. Salves and medicines devised for this specific use are then applied liberally, accelerating the healing process and ensuring solid bones, dense musculature, calloused skin and toughened tendons. While taking the training more slowly and gradually for the sake of their bones and skin is not disallowed, Void Disciples may appreciate the trade of superficial, aesthetic beauty compared to the purity of function that twisted and broken - but fully functional - fingers represent.
Traditionally, the wraps of a Void Disciple are left
to soak overnight in a strained mixture of nettle, feverfew, and hallowseed.The Relentless TouchFlurry of BlowsAlacrity of mind and body are highly prized by ascetics of the New Moon. A constantly offensive stance provides numerous opportunities for both pressing the advantage and an able retreat. By drawing in extremely close and using elbows and knees, the hands and feet are free to pursue a grapple or propel the monk away at a moment's notice.
The compact stance of a Void Disciple at
extreme close quarters.Blur of the FlameEvasionEarly on, ascetics of the New Moon are encouraged to liken their bodies to an open flame - constantly in motion and bleeding energy into the space between. By following the course of a fire's heat into the cold air above, they can visualize being as untouchable and impossible to grasp as the shimmering, dancing waves.
Motion begins at the shoulder, and from there, hostile energy is
redirected and dispersed harmlessly away.Breath of the AirMonk SpeedRunning is required at every level of the Void Disciple's training. They are taught to discard all doubt as though it were a weight upon their backs and to chase the very birds of the air like the wind does. Like the sky, they can be anywhere and everywhere at once, wherever they will their bodies to go, as fast as they can imagine.
The lighter the footfall, the faster the spirit.Void FocusStill MindOne of the most important concepts of the New Moon is that the manipulation of their reflection in the Weave is not irresistible. By committing heavy focus upon visualization of the Self in meditation, any outside influence hoping to manipulate the practitioner's form or will finds their efforts made that much more difficult, if not impossible.
A meditative pose for the aspiring Disciple involves moving the
arms in a circular fashion, to help envision the lip of the well.The Wrack of Spurned EmotionsPain TouchVoid Disciples are taught to view negative emotions as a mutable resource rather than abandoning them entirely. As such, they can be mastered by the heart, and wielded by the hand. Visiting those emotions in painful amounts upon the body of an aggressor is but the work of a moment and a touch upon the right pressure points.
From this block, both the ribcage and the temple are easily struck.The Open SkyKi Strike (Magic)The Disciple's training regimen intensifies, as they are asked to meditate upon the distance between the earth beneath their feet and the stars of the cold night's sky, all while their fists are broken from a hard day's training. Their hands are repaired in the morning, but the pain remains, an implacable cold sensation between their knuckles.
The soft flesh of the underarms is tightened over fresh scars by
unique strikes that focus on the heel of the hand.The Immaculate ConsumptionPurity of BodyVoid Disciples are encouraged to interact with disease - be it consuming raw foods, helping the sick, or lingering in areas where such things fester (such as bogs or swamps) - as often as possible to facilitate their own mastery of the self. Indirectly, it is usually at this time that they feel the urge to consume larger quantities of food, to offset the intensive training.
Part of a training regimen performed while sickly,
to expunge the fever.The Hammer of TruthAxiomatic StrikeOne of the secrets passed down by many ascetic masters is the Axiomatic Truth, a portion of belief-made-law that both supposes a weakness inherent in all who do not have a solidly defined sense of purpose and direction - and proves it true with frightening force. A Void Disciple attributes this interaction to the idea that the middle path between law and chaos is where all matter rests, and when they are mixed, the violent reaction is the universe's way of returning life to that state of inert form.
The move is practiced upon a fellow ascetic.Restoring the CenterWholeness of BodyAs the ascetic's training continues, self-inflicted damage becomes more and more severe. To counter this, a Void Disciple is taught how to meditate upon their form and rejuvenate themselves. They concentrate on their idealized state in the Weave, focusing all of their will on sealing their skin, setting their bones, and healing their insides.
One of the many forms an aspiring Disciple
may use to center themselves.Empty Ki StrikeEagle Claw StrikeWith but a touch, a practitioner of the New Moon can wield their own solidified reflection in the Weave as a weapon, striking others forcefully in seemingly impossible ways. A finger or palm in the right place sends numbing, painful shockwaves through the relatively unstable reflection of their target's form.
Step 46 of the New Moon kata. From this stance,
several avenues of defense and attack are available.Blur of the WildfireImproved EvasionAdopting a heightened sense of the energies about them and expounding upon concepts previously learned, a practitioner of the Void can obscure their intent in the shimmering, bleeding entropic force given off by all living things. As such, it becomes almost impossible to surround them with any sort of energy or power, since they have learned to escape like heat does from a roaring flame.
The willowy, nearly imbalanced stance of a Void Disciple
in tune with the energy about them.Grip of Endless SilenceFreeze the LifebloodBy striking specific, key points on an opponent's body, the ascetic can emulate the all-consuming void at their heart and project a weightless, crushing emptiness upon their opponent, from which even the thought of action bleeds off uselessly into space.
Under controlled conditions, a Void Disciple is subjected to this art
so they may know its power.The Open MindKi Strike (Lawful)At this point in the training, much of the ascetic's reflection in the Weave is solid and measured. Their minds are at one with their bodies, their kata well-polished and consistent. The steps beyond this - while still difficult and deserving of intense training - seem fluid and natural compared to the breaking and re-molding of the mind that has occurred up to this point.
A crisp, perfect right block, opening into an attack
or folding into a throw.The Immaculate BloodDiamond BodyAt several points in the weeks leading up to this training, the ascetic is introduced to poisonous foods - hemlock, wild almond, et cetera - and trained to refuse their influence upon the body. This step takes as long as it needs to as not all practitioners' bodies react the same way. Eventually, the Void Disciple learns how to visualize the purity of the parts of their body that they can't see, cleansing their blood and swallowing poison like honey. After this point, alcohol no longer has any effect upon the ascetic, so it is often encouraged that they partake beforehand until ready to step beyond its influence. The benefit is widely (but not always) considered to offset the downside.
The most common focused stance for those
attempting to breathe around the inflammation
of the lungs caused by wild almonds.Span the VoidAbundant StepAn extremely difficult maneuver is practiced at this point, when the ascetic seems to comfortably grasp the concept of the Void at their heart. By visualizing the world not as objects, but as spaces of emptiness, it is possible - but not always - to move from one point in space to another without touching anything in between. Even Masters of the New Moon have difficulty performing this task, but it remains among the options of a Void Disciple's Way.
The step backward into a stance of deep meditation.The Wrack of Bitter SorrowsWeakening TouchA stronger version of the Wrack of Spurned Emotions, this strike summons forth the lethargy of self-pity and remorse, making strong arms feel like dead weights and preventing the capacity of able resistance.
A diagram of the hand placement for this maneuver, from below.
The right fist will twist as it strikes, middle knuckle extended.The Aura of Weave DenialDiamond SoulAt this point in the ascetic's training, they are asked to visualize a great expanse at their center where unwanted influence is poured. The manipulation of their own reflection in the Weave is hardened and solidified by their willpower, leaving them increasingly untouched by magic as their power grows. Lust, hatred, bitterness, wrath, all of these emotions, and more, are poured into the bottomless well until only the shadow remains of what was willed upon them by any aggressors.
The meditative moment before a Void Disciple's stance opens,
ready to absorb the energy of an incoming power.Hand of ErasureQuivering PalmThis maneuver is more of a fanciful trademark than a useful - if extremely dire - technique. It requires complete silence, in and of itself a prayer to the Void beyond, into whom the target's soul is immediately delivered by an instantly fatal attack. It is believed that the severance is so utter, the strike so clean, that any soul whose thread is cut by this maneuver stands a chance to be lost forever if they were without a strong tether in this lifetime. True Void Disciples are loathe to use it, however, except when asked to end the suffering of another.
A snapped elbow to the throat often silences the target of this ability,
ensuring that they do not interrupt its sanctity or effectiveness with their words.The Open WayKi Strike (Adamantine)As a New Moon's power over themselves grows, the list of materials they can affect with their unarmed attacks becomes greater, eventually encompassing metal alloys such as steel and adamantine. At first, only bones and skin are broken, but practice continues day and night until the ascetic can leave a hand print in a sheet of solid adamantine. To a master of the Void, the entropy inherent in all living things is as easy to manipulate as breathing - metal doors can be bowed, gates can be broken, armor can be shattered, and shackles torn - without leaving a scratch on the Disciple's skin.
The New Moon begins a series of exercises to send sympathetic
vibrations up and down their arm, tensing it in preparation for practice upon a steel sword.The Deafening QuietKi ShoutMuch like how silence can be as oppressive and loud as any bell, a practitioner is taught to exhale until their bodies are a conduit to the Void within. The shrieking noise of rushing air crushes the aural sense of the unprepared nearby and affords the ascetic an advantage in an ensuing combat - assuming any are left standing in this powerful technique's wake.
The Disciple rolls their shoulders outward as they compress
their diaphragm, inhaling deeply through their nose.Forgotten by TimeTimeless BodyThe Void Disciple's meditations eventually result in a reflection within the Weave that separates them from the passage of the seasons. Though their form may wither and seem to fade, their willpower preserves their strength and agility until the time is come for them to be truly forgotten.
Even the aged of form and sallow or torpid of body
are immune to the decay of the Void until they are wont to go.The Open HeartTongue of the Sun and MoonThe Way of the Void Disciple is not one that lends itself readily to deception of intent, even if the fighting style - like many others - is full of feints and stratagems. When a Master of the New Moon speaks, all who hear them can understand the absolute intent of their words. Likewise, intense training to study the body and its subtleties provides an intuition beyond form, beyond simple language, to interpret the absolute intent of any other who speaks with one who is at peace with the Void.
Understanding can end many conflicts before they ever begin.Form of Fading BreathEmpty BodyNew Moon ascetics learn to measure and span the distance between themselves and their targets in the blink of an eye, standing at odd angles and utilizing the mastery of their reflection in the Weave to distort not just their image but where they seem to be moving to. The concentration required to maintain this form is immense, but the Void at the heart of any practitioner is as vast as required.
The stance of - and philosophy behind - this form is
very similar to the Blur of the Flame or Wildfire.Avatar of the VoidPerfect SelfThe apotheosis of the New Moon takes a similar form to the Perfection sought by other ascetic orders. Their body becomes supernaturally
different, even if their form is no less or more than it was. Their willpower strengthens a hundredfold, and the grip of any outside influence is reduced to the current of a single oar in the wide ocean. As with the differences between swordsmen, clergy, and magi, the real differentiation in this case is what the New Moon chooses to do with their powers.
Reflection without - an Avatar of the Void can seem to sit in
deathly motionlessness for hours.The Aura of Weave AnnihilationAura of Weave AnnihilationThis unique talent is an aural expression of a New Moon's solid, powerfully defined reflection in the Weave. By concentrating deeply and visualizing the Void at their center, the ascetic "widens the brim" until it encompasses others within a short range. All magic - divine or arcane - begins to be unwoven as the world reverts to a natural state. Even magic above the ninth circle is undone. In addition, no further magic can be invoked nearby, nor can any skill with roots beyond the talent of the physical body be assumed. The skill is not considered truly learned until it can be maintained for a full day - from rest to rest.
The sensation is akin to a vortex at the heart of the Void Disciple. ______________________________________________________
Section 4
Diagrams
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